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<title>1190, Wyvern Moon 14: Heartbeat by KelikZenair</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24417172">1190, Wyvern Moon 14: Heartbeat</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KelikZenair/pseuds/KelikZenair'>KelikZenair</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Three Houses Works [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Birth, Domestic Fluff, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:15:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>782</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24417172</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KelikZenair/pseuds/KelikZenair</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Byleth gives birth to her and Claude's second child, Nadira, only to feel that something is horribly wrong.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Three Houses Works [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1762996</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1190, Wyvern Moon 14: Heartbeat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Byleth leaned back against the bed frame, breathing heavily. Her hair, a mess, was stuck with sweat to her face and neck </p>
<p>Claude leaned over, moving some stray hair to the side and smiling at her.</p>
<p>"You did great, love.."</p>
<p>Byleth halfheartedly smiled back, too exhausted to do much more.</p>
<p>Her hand, which had been whiteknuckling Claude's, finally loosened, and she softly held his hand in her own.</p>
<p>Before the tender moment could settle, a cry filled the room.</p>
<p>Byleth's smile widened up at Claude, who nodded at her as the midwife handed her the baby.</p>
<p>"Your Majesties," the midwife placed the baby gently into Byleth's arms, "Your daughter."</p>
<p>Byleth held the baby against her chest, tenderly smiling down towards her, until suddenly, Byleth looked alarmed.</p>
<p>"She's...something's not right..."</p>
<p>Claude startled and rose slightly, "Wait, what? Byleth, what's wrong?"</p>
<p>Byleth began breathing shortly and sharply, "She's...twitching, o-or maybe...pulsing?"</p>
<p>Claude contained himself despite internal panic. He may be in one of the greatest positions on Fòdlan, but no spell or scheme existed that could guarantee a safe birth, even for the King of Fòdlan. Byleth and their son, Camio, had managed the first birth fine, but he had heard plenty of tragedies from friends and colleagues. Babies being born ill, or with malformed organs that don't last long after birth. Instantly he thought of the worst possibilities: his daughter could have some disorder, her body is attacking itself, or her muscles don't work correctly and she can't control them.</p>
<p>Of course, Claude didn't let his panic show. Keeping a level head was one of his talents.</p>
<p>During the war, he had stared down the Death Knight, the Wind Caller, the Emperor herself, and never lost his nerve. Yet somehow, this was as close as he had come.</p>
<p>But for Byleth, he couldn't let that show.</p>
<p>"Hand her to me," Claude said calmly.</p>
<p>Byleth shifted slightly in bed and slightly extended her arms, all she could manage. Claude scooped the infant out of her arms. He could practically hold her in one hand, and instantly began checking for anything wrong.</p>
<p>A deafening silence permeated the air in the room, until Claude...sighed.</p>
<p>"Byleth…"</p>
<p>She looked up at him, expecting the worst.</p>
<p>"By, that's her heart."</p>
<p>Byleth looked confused for a moment.</p>
<p>Due to magical rituals performed on her before she was born, Byleth was... eccentric. She didn't show much emotion, she was gifted in combat and incredibly powerful...and she didn't have a heartbeat. Camio, having inherited her Crest and divine power, also lacked a heartbeat- something that had greatly worried doctors when he was born.</p>
<p>Exhausted from labor, and desperate to meet her daughter, Byleth had forgotten that the "twitching" she had felt was, actually, completely naturally.</p>
<p>"Wh...why is it... twitching?"</p>
<p>"By…"</p>
<p>"I don't think it should be doing that…"</p>
<p>"Byleth, I assure you, she's fine. Here," Claude took hold of her hand again, but this time took her fingers and pressed them against his wrist, "See? Same thing."</p>
<p>Byleth stayed silent for a moment. Feeling his pulse, she was reminded of all the nights she spent, laying on his broad chest as she fell asleep, guided into slumber by the same rhythmic pulsing that she was feeling in his hand now. His heartbeat calmed her, and as she remembered those nights, she couldn't help but react with a single soft chuckle.</p>
<p>"I get that you're not exactly operating at max capacity right now By, but wow, I don't think you've ever given me a scare like that before."</p>
<p>Claude laughed.</p>
<p>Byleth smiled as she looked over at him, holding their daughter (who they had previously decided on a name for: Nadira).</p>
<p>"Mm...Claude?"</p>
<p>"Yes, love?"</p>
<p>"Could you...look after her for a bit? I know I stayed with Camio for a while, but...after a scare like that, and-"</p>
<p>"Of course, Byleth. You get your rest, you've well earned it at this point. I'll help the midwives wash her and everything, you won't have to worry about a thing."</p>
<p>Byleth smiled, "Thank you…"</p>
<p>Claude shrugged and shook his head, "No need to thank me. It's only fair."</p>
<p>Claude looked down at Nadira for a little while longer, before handing her back to the midwife.</p>
<p>Getting up from his chair, he kneeled beside Byleth.</p>
<p>"And I meant it. Seriously, don't worry about her. Just sleep for now. We'll handle everything."</p>
<p>Before Byleth could argue, he leaned in, gave her a kiss, and left to follow the midwife to get Nadira cleaned and swaddled. Quickly, squires and maids entered the room to clean the bed and redress Byleth.</p>
<p>By the time they got to her, she was already deep asleep.</p>
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